Holy Dysfunctions, Worldly Distortions
by Soul Distortion
Summary: A disturbing story about the vampire Astrial and his struggles and triumphs to restore his clans glory


A crowd has gathered outside the highly acclaimed, "Rin-Shira Church of Life", a church that seemingly has been gifted with the power to re-instate Life upon any animal, plant, human being or else-wise that it chooses. The crowd packs in through the doorway, which is only suitable for at least 5 people at a time, now being forced with 25 to the least. Readied guards stand by to hold back anyone who doesn't look suitable to enter. Pressing back a man with the blunt ends of their spears, they shove the man to the ground.  
  
"Why can't I enter?" The man jumps up to his feet and dusts himself off, waiting for his answer.  
  
"Lose all the dark clothes and maybe we won't think you're a thief," A guard says, putting his spear end back on the ground.  
  
"Yeah, and the mask doesn't help your situation either," The other guard says, pointing to the man's mask.  
  
"Well...I can't stand light...that's why I wear this. But, I want to enter so I can be given the strength to withstand it!"  
  
"Too bad, sir. You'll have to find some other church," Both guards turn their backs on the man, shutting the doors behind them as they enter.  
  
The crowd, gone.  
  
The dark clothed man stands there, looking at the entrance way to the church. His hands clenching up into fists.  
  
"Why must I be shunned out of every place I go? The dark clothing gives off a terrible vibe and no one knows how to handle it. More tolerance is what these people need. More tolerance of people different from themselves," He slams his fist into the door to the right, feeling the wood tremble. A guard opens the left door and peaks out.  
  
"Oh...?" The guard opens the door a little more, "Excuse me...were you knocked over in the crowd?" The guard walks up to the man.  
  
"Erm..." Quickly thinking, the man answers, "yes. Yes I was."  
  
"Well...come with me, enter." The guard walks the man through the door, shutting it behind him. The man thanks the guard and looks up, a sermon being given. He glances around.  
  
Behind the pastor, alters of Life can be seen, giving the energy of Life back to lost loved ones.  
  
"And as it shall be," The pastor screams out to the room, making sure everyone can hear, "that God shall give Life back to all those who pray hard enough for it!" A person stands up in the crowd, opening his mouth to speak.  
  
"But should we tamper with the gift of Life, even if it is being given by God?"  
  
"You ask a very astounding question, Mr. ...?"  
  
"Serverus."  
  
"Mr. Serverus. As long as this gift is being given by our Savior, there is nothing wrong with it at all. When he gives Life back to someone, he's feeling sorry for the family in which that being belonged to. There's no danger behind it."  
  
"Still, I don't see how it is right to reverse the process. Won't the person just die again?" Serverus asks, his eyes narrowing in seriousness.  
  
A body raises up from one of the alters. A kid. Born anew.  
  
The family rushes to see him, his brothers giving him gifts. His mother hugs him tightly and kisses his cheek.  
  
"Welcome back home, son," His dad says, patting his head.  
  
"Thank you, father...mother...brothers."  
  
Everyone watches, gasping for breath, trapped in unimaginable awe of this child's restoration. The pastor turns to the crowd.  
  
"As you see before you! God's reviving power at full work!"  
  
"I still think it is wrong...and why would God do such a thing? He has their spirits in Heaven, where they belong after they pass away!" Serverus begins to lose his cool, showing signs of religious anger.  
  
"Like I said, Mr. Serverus. God feels sorry for the agony of the family, and let's them have their chance with whoever it is they lost, again." The pastor turns his head and smiles at the family, them smiling back and making their exit.  
  
Our dark clothed friend tilts his head and steps to the side, letting the family exit. Letting his head up straight, he steps forward.  
  
"Excuse me, pastor?" He says, raising his hand a little.  
  
"What is it, son of God?" The pastor asks, stepping down to him.  
  
"I'd...like to be able to stand the Sun's light...can I be given this?" The man stutters a little in his words, nervous from being face-to- face with Rin-Shira's head pastor and a whole crowd of about one-hundred, fifty people.  
  
The pastor blinks.  
  
"Is that why you wear a mask? To shield yourself from the light?"  
  
"Y-yes..."  
  
"Then let it be! You shall be granted your wish! Step up to one of the alters," The pastor moves to the side a bit, leading the man the way. Serverus steps out and grabs the pastor's arm.  
  
"This is insane! Maybe he's supposed to be shielded from the light, pastor Dokus! We are all born with abnormalities, and they should not be tampered with. By man, animal, or even God!" Some guards shove Serverus off of Dokus with the blunt end of their spears, forcing him to the ground.  
  
Dokus waves his hand.  
  
"Let him alone."  
  
The guards back off, back to the entrance way, and Serverus stands up.  
  
"Serverus...don't ever think of doing that again..." Dokus dusts his arm off, "now, what is your name sir?" He turns to our dark clothed friend.  
  
He stops short of the alter and turns around.  
  
"My name...my name is Astrial."  
  
"Well, Astrial...kneel at one of the alters and pray for the inner strength to stand up to the sun's light."  
  
"Okay..." Astrial turns back towards the alter and walks up to it. Kneeling down, he puts his hands together and silently mutters words to himself, or rather, some other entity. Dokus looks at Serverus.  
  
"Watch as God grants him his wish."  
  
Serverus narrows his eyes at Dokus, who is smirking delightfully.  
  
"We both know that it is not the power of God at work here...you designed these machines...God helps with suffering in other means...not by giving Life back or restoring natural abnormalities." Serverus clenches a fist.  
  
"But what others do not know, Serverus, will not hurt them."  
  
Light starts to shine at the alter at which Astrial is knelt. He opens his eyes and looks at the light beginning to surround him.  
  
"Ahh...light...!" He shields his eyes with his arm, and after hearing a twinkling sound, much like a crystal shattering and flickering away, he moves his arm away.  
  
"Can you bear the light now, Astrial?" Dokus asks, looking at him, his left hand readying something in his pocket. Astrial removes his mask and looks up, towards a window. The light shining through doesn't seem to bother him.  
  
"My eyes...they don't burn...nor does my skin boil..." He feels his face, "...it worked..."  
  
"Yes - yes, of course it did! God's power always works my son! Now, come down here," Dokus waves his free hand, in attempts to shoo Astrial down to the main floor.  
  
"Why don't you put away that knife first, Dokus?" Astrial mutters. Dokus looks up at him.  
  
"And...what knife would you be talking about, Astrial? I'm sure you must be mistaken."  
  
"My powers do not tell me wrong, nor do they lie. Drop that knife out of your pocket, now." Astrial turns around and pulls his hood back, revealing jet black hair. Lightly spiked, most spikes going in every which direction. Messy. A few bangs fall past his eyes and he jerks his head lightly, making them swing over and around his ear.  
  
Astrial was about 5'8, 145 pounds, light for his age. He smirks now to Dokus, now revealing fangs. Vampire.  
  
"I still do not know of what knife you are talking about...is it one in the kitchen, or rather..." Dokus slings out his knife from his pocket, and throws it at Astrial, "that one?!"  
  
"That one," Astrial swoops to the side, knocking back the knife with a light hand slap, sending it back at Dokus, "have fun dying."  
  
The knife imbeds itself into the left side of Dokus's chest, the blood running down rather quickly, staining his white clothes in a deathly crimson.  
  
The whole crowd begins to panic and frantically rush around the church cathedral, breaking down the entrance doors and piling out onto the main street. Serverus runs up to Astrial.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Ask for light tolerance?" Astrial smirks.  
  
"No," Serverus points to Dokus, "that!"  
  
"He had it coming...and I was sent to. Now, if you mind...let me go or I'll be forced to kill you."  
  
"Whoa, wait...can I join you. Me and you are sort've on the same mission."  
  
"And that is?"  
  
"To assassinate every pastor of every wrongful church."  
  
"No, that's not my assignment. I was just sent to kill Dokus cause he fucked with my clan," Astrial throws one of his own knives into an approaching guard's forehead. Serverus turns and looks at the guard, then back at Astrial.  
  
"Well, whatever the assignment may be, let me join you."  
  
"I don't work well with partners."  
  
"Then why are you in a clan?"  
  
"We do 'alone-missions'."  
  
Serverus sighs a little bit.  
  
"Fine, if you don't want to join, I'll see you around sometime."  
  
"Yeah. I guess you will," Astrial waves slightly and jumps into the air, a strange purple mist following his cloak. The glass mural on the ceiling shatters to pieces as Astrial makes his leave through it. Serverus turns, sees a guard about to rush him, and with grace, speed, and elegance, unsheathes his sword and runs the guard through.  
  
The guard falls to his knees, soon to his side, dead. Serverus removes his sword from the dead body and makes his exit.  
  
Rin-Shira Church of Life never was the same again...it took up new views on life, and removed the Life giving machines. Only was this change at the right time...or too slow? 


End file.
